Running

Stat

The reemergence of JoyKin II reminded me of the custom I once practiced, and since I have a friend moving away next week, what perfect timing it is to restore the good tradition. I got crafty this past week with JoyKin IV, a girl monkey (monkette?) this time.

Realizing that she has no real womanly attributes other than my deeming it to be female, I gave her what girls love most–accessories. Since her guardian-t0-be is part Japanese who has lived in Hawaii and is engaged to be married, I reflected those traits on JoyKin IV with a plumeria on the left ear (signifying that she’s taken) and an obi around her body.

I had so much fun creating JoyKin IV that I want to make another, but I don’t want another good friend to move away…it’s a dilemma.

Years ago, I bore (with my crafty, dexterous hands) a sock monkey that I gave to a dear friend moving away for school. A mutual friend named the monkey JoyKin, an uncommon but accurate phonetic translation of ‘goodbye’ or ‘to see again’ in Chinese (Cantonese). In sewing up the last seam of the monkey (which I believe to have been the crotch), I inserted a written note inside as a game to see if it will ever be discovered.

Some time later, another good friend was moving away. I made JoyKin II. The idea was to disseminate kins of JoyKin around the world as a representation of my global network. To this day, there are a total of three JoyKins. I have since been the one moving around, leaving places.

I never expected my friends to remember their adoption of the memento. In fact, I assumed JoyKins are either still sitting inside the same moving box they were transported in, or, worse yet, have been recycled into another, more functional, sock.

But…

Jeremy, guardian of JoyKin II, made my WEEK when he sent me a picture of JoyKin II this week. To my surprise, JoyKin II still looks in tact. Aside from his tattooed name peeling off his left arm, his left eyebrow gone, and his left ear starting to fall off his head, he looks great! After all, it has been a good ten years if not more. Admittedly, of the three keepers of JoyKins, Jeremy is the last one I expected to still have his. I stand corrected, and am deeply embarrassed by how little credit I gave him!

Here posing with Jeremy’s cat, Miles, who is so obviously enamored with JoyKin II, is my almost forgotten handchild. I cannot recall if there is a note inside JoyKin II, but gauging the friendliness displayed on Miles’ face, I would not be shocked if he will reveal the answer soon.